Elevator



A. F. MEYER.

v ELEVATOR. I APPLICATION FILED DEC.14,1917- RENEWED MAR. 31,1921. 1,395,986. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET lr a n haezrzza' aye/Fm;

A. F. MEYER.

ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.14. i917- RENEWED MAR-31,1921.

'1 ,395,986. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNETED STATES ALFRED F. MEYER, OF MORTON, ILLINOIS,

' MORTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS;

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR TO MORTON CORPORATION, OF

ELEVATOR.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it, known that I, citizen of the United States, residing at Morton, in. the county of 'Lazewell and State of Illinois, have invented, certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, and do herebydeclare that clear, and: exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in: the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'This invention: relates to. improvements 1 elevators, particularly that class used in granaries andilike- .placeswhere grain, especially ear corn, is to be conveyed fromonere cept acle to another.

It still further relates to improvements in elevator ofthe permanently located so called vertical type used for elevating grain.

The main object of; the invention is: tov

construct an elevator and boot wherein the elevating chain is guided through, a runway upon an abutment in such boot, in lieu'of the usual sprocket wheel; or wheels so that/the entire space in the bootwill bedevoidof obstructions such as usually interfere with the handling of materials,

especially ear corn. Another object is to provlde, a; structure which the elevating chain does not require the sprocket wheels and their supporting-shafts ordinarily used in sald; boot so thattheelevating buckets therefor carrying the ear corn can travel freely with; no dangerof damaging them or of breaking the chain or straining any of the portions ofwthe elevator structure with the added advantage of requiring less power for the elevating operation.

Another object is to furnish an elevator boot structure in which, together with the fact that; said'bootis free and open for substantially its entire area at one-side forreceiving the ear corn, a larger bulk of the latter can be accommodated resulting in a saving of time required in elevatinga given quantity thereof.

Still another object is to provide an elevator structure wherein the elevating chain in'its boot is adapted tooperate the-usual drag chain of the conveyer 'thatsupplied grain to such boot. V

ther objects and advantageswill appear as the description proceeds, the invention-relating alsoto certain details ofoonstruction Specification of Letters Patent.

ALEREB F'. MEYER, a,

the following is a full,

Renewed March 31, 1921. Serial No. 457,421.

and arrangement of parts to be pointed. out

herein and form the subject of certain of theclaims.

In order that the invention may be, clearly understood, I have provided, the accompanymg drawings showing a preferred manner of constructing the elevator and its boot, though it s to be understood that changes may be made such as will stilllie within the meaning and intent of the invention and the scope; of the claims.

F lgure 1 is an elevation of a granary showing my improved elevating structure;

therein. 7

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a part of the, leg; of the elevator.

F ig. 2 shows, in perspective, certain cletails of construction of the elevator boot.

Fig.v 3. shows, in perspective, portions of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig 4 is a sectional elevation of the ele-- vator'boot.

, Fig. 4 is a detail of a portion of the elevating chain.

Fig. 4? is a detail, in perspective, of a portion of one of the sides of the elevator boot; and,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of theele vatorboot ShOWlIlg a loading conveyer I associated therewith.

A indicates, as a whole, the leg of the'elevator, and-B=the boot thereof. For convenience in constructingthe latter portion two parallel side members C are employed, which may be castings, each of which includes an outwardly extending annularup: of pairs of ers H.

J indicates a sheet iron member stationed between'the spaced members C, there being a flangeK onthe inner face of each of the latter, for example, to receive the member J against it, bolts L serving to clamp the sides and said. member together to form a rigid structure.

The said side members C are each provided with an outwardly extending flange portion M, Fig. 4 forming a support for timbers N, N, O spaced from one another as clearly shown in Fig. 4, providing guideways P communicating with the said chan- Patented Nov. 1, 1921-.

nels E, the sheet'iron member J extending up upon the outer surface of said timbers to said sleeve.

- At one end of-the through the long curved N to complete the leg.

One of the members boot at one side as Q, the opposite member is very large receiving opening R grain.

S indicates the usual conveyer or drag, and T is a chute to receive the grain therefrom and conduct it into the boot.

U, Figs. 1 and 5',indicates a stud extending from one of the side members 0 to support the conveyer and upon which said conveyer may swing vertically, although it is to be understood that other means of supporting7said conveyer may be prov ded.

Fig. 4, is a sprocket wheel secured upon a sleeve W rotatably mounted upon the stud, which structure is well understood, the usual sprockets 2 of the conveyer being secured 3 indicates the drag chains for the conveyer and 4 the flights secured thereto. 5' is a shaft mounted in suitable bearings 6 secured to the sides of said boot. said shaft is secured a sprocket wheel '7 overwhich is trained a sprocket chain S also trained over the mentioned sprocket V of the conveyer.

The opposite end of the shaft 5 is furnished with a sprocket wheel 9 which at one edge projects through a 5, in the boot and leg structure into one of the channels E and in the path of travel of the chain F, H which is provided with the usual elevating buckets 11 which have been shown in broken lines in the figures.

The right hand stretch of the chain as viewed in Fig. 4: travels downward to work into and pick up the grain and as the sprocket wheel 9 engages this portion of the chain it is rotated contrary clockwise as viewed'in said Fig. 4, with the result that the flights 1 of the conveyer or drag will travelin the proper direction to discharge the material into the chute T, the chain F, H being driven by any suitable power attached at any point. 7 I

The diameter of the boot structure is much greater than the width of' the leg A in ord'er'that, first, the chain in traveling track furnished by C entirely closes the Figs. 4: and 5, while furnished with a the channels E may have disposing the links so as to have as nearly a straight pull as possible, and, second, in order to'provide a very large receivingspace for the grain. The leg A can be made com paratively small in compass soas to reduce its cost and the space required for it.

-frnotheradvantage in making the boot much greater in diameter than the measuremer t of the leg A is thatthe ascending chain portion is bent inwardly as it moves along the abutments which create the channels E and thus any ears that are in excess of those for the,

free movement by required to completely fill the buckets will 7 slide off into the boot due to the inclination of said buckets but should any of them be still retainedtheir disposal will be as explained later.

The leg is slightly wider than the space required for the buckets 11 as they pass one another, and, as shown in Fig. 2, a dividing member 12 is employed which lies nearest the descending line of buckets, thus giving greater space to the ascending line. 7

The purpose of this peculiar disposal of the dividing member is that when the chain is ascending at an angle such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 any ears that fall from the buckets will have room to pass between the buckets and the member 12 without becoming wedge and the latter will guide the ears back into the boot or into one of the ascending buckets lower down, said member serving as a chute for the purpose:

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a structure which rovides for slight changes in the angle of the upper portion ofthe elevator leg as occasion may require.

There is provided a pair oficastings 13, but one of which is shown, each having a face to lie flush with the inner surfaces of the timbers N, N, 0, there being hannels 13- for the chains, there also being flange por 95 tions 14 to receive the said timbers. These l flange portions have extended cheek-portions 15 which are received into the timbers by slightly recessing the latter as shown at 16.

his casting may be used different angles at which it may be desired to place the timbers of the upper end of the leg. This may be accomplished by simply changing the angle at which the timbers may be cut at their lower ends where they rest upon the casting; The differences in inclination of the timbers has been indicated by the two series ofdotted lines in Fig. 3.

The described member 12 of Fig. 2 is preferably ofsheet iron and is secured to a flange 17 on each of the described castings 13 and to strips 18 on the timbers.

It is clear that any slight changes in the angle of the upperportion of the leg will not effect the free running of the elevating chain since the channels 13 provided in the castings willsmoothly guide the rollers H.

In boot structures it has been customary to provide certain internal structures to prevent the ear corn catching upon the sprocket wheels, shafts or other parts of the structure for preventing breakage of the chain, or parts as stated earlier herein. This makes for complications and even then thedanger to the parts is'not entirely eliminated'and in 12: view of this the herein described structure is provided whereby there are no parts in the way of the buckets 11 but,instead,there is an entirely, clearspace for the reception of the material to be elevated and for the 13 for a number of 100 V for a free travel of the buckets which, even after passing into the leg, are in no danger of being caught by any part nor is there danger of wedging of the ears between the buckets and otherparts.

he elimination of the usual sprocket or other wheels in the boot for the purpose of carrying the chain necessitates the channels E in my structure and in order to provide chain the rollers H are provided. While the use of rollers upon a chain is old it is believed to be new to employ a chain Within a s'tantially as shown and. described, the rollers being naturally used to reduce the friction. aving thus described my invention, I claim 1. An elevator boot including in its construction an abutment at each of two of its facing sides, a flexible member arranged to travel upon each of the same including elevating devices common to both, one of said 1 forming tracks,

sideshaving an unobstructed opening thereinv inward from the abutment of said side, the

being entirely unobstructed.

'2. An elevator boot including in its construction a curved abutment on the inner face of each of two of its opposite sides to travel upon each including elevating de-' vices common to both, one of said sides having an unobstructed opening therein communi'cating with the interior of the'boo't inward from the abutment of said side for the introduction of materials to be elevated, the interior of the boot being entirely unobstructed except for said elevating devices.

3. An elevator boot including in its construction a substantially cylindrically curved abutment on the inner face of each of two opposite sides thereof each forming a track and eaeh terminating in spaced extensions at the upper side of theboot, a flexible member to run upon each, elevating devices extending between and carried by the members, being. the only obstructing portions in said boot, one of the said sides having an unobstructed opening inwardfrom the abutment between the extensions thereof com municating with the interior .of the boot for the introduction of. material to be. elevated.

4. A structure for handling loose material including a boot having spaced substantially cylindrically curved abutments on the inner face of each of two facing-sides terminatingin spaced extensions, said boot being devoid of interior obstructions, a flexible member, adapted totravel in each guideway formed by said spaced abutments,and a receiving opening in one of said sides spaced inward from the municating withthe interior of the boot.

5. A boot for an elevator including in its construction an abutment forming a guide at each of two sides thereof lying opposite channel in a boot sub-.

a flexible member arranged guideway at that side com:

one another and substantially annular in form and each having terminal ends at the upper portion-ofsaid boot, the said upper portion of the boot having openings outward from said terminal ends, and a chain arranged to travel upon and around each abutment through said openings, including elevating devices, one of'said sides of the boot having a receiving opening lying substantially at the center from which the abutment is described and wholly unobstructed, the boot being otherwise imperforate, its interior being wholly unobstructed inward from thepath of travel of the elevating devices.

6. A grain elevating structure including a leg and boot, the leg having spaced guideways extending longitudinally thereof in two opposite sides, said boot having in each of two opposite walls spaced abutments creating a channel of annular form communica ting with each guideway forming a continuous runway, and an elevating device received into each of the channels guided by and adapted to travel upon the'shortest walls including buckets connected between the devices extending laterally beyond the path of the latter in each direction, one of said walls having an unobstructed opening therein inward from the path of travel of the ascending and descending buckets, the boot and leg being otherwise imperforate, and being wholly unobstructed interiorly. V

In combination, an elevator leg and boot, a flexible elevating member running through the same, an abutment constituting a guide for said member, a conveyer a ranged for dischargingmaterials into said boot including a drag-member therein, and mechanism. to operate said .drag-member comprising a rotatable member engaging aid elevating member, the latter being held operatively in positive engagement with the rotatable member byfsaid guide.

8. An elevatorv leg and its boot, the latter including an abutment. forming an annular guideway, ainaterial moving member disposed in said guidewa a conveyer for discharging material into said boot including a drag, and mechanism to operate said drag including a wheel mounted on said boot extending into said guideway and having engagement with the material moving member, the walls of the guideway adapted to hold the member in positive operativeengagement with the wheel.

9. Incombination, 'an elevator leg and its boot having an abutment creating a guideway in each of two. opposite walls, an elevatingchain disposed in each guideway, a conveyer including va drag member. pivotally mounted at one end alongside'the boot adapted to tilt upward onits piVot,'theboot having an opening in one of its sides, a receiving chute for said boot at municating with the space between said stantially the same width throughout.

members within said boot and converging at the top portion of said boot parts thereof lying substantially parallel to one another at said top portion, there being a receiving opening in one of the side members lying inward from the groove in that member.

11. An article of manufacture comprising two spaced side members, and a wall extending between the same forming together with said members a container open at one side,

' the said side members each having spaced annular abutments forming channels at its inner surface terminating in open ends in the edges of said members at said open side of said container, the channels being sub- 12. An article of manufacture comprising two spaced side members, and a wall extending between the same, the whole forming a container open at one side, the said side members each having abutments forming an annular groove in its inner surface terminating in open ends, said openends of each groove being spaced from one another, the distance between the ends of each being less than the greatest measurement between the said grooves.

13. An elevator struction a pair boot including in its conof spaced members each abutment forming a guide way in its inner surface, a flexible member disposed in each guideway, 'material engaging member secured to and between said flexible members, the guideways describing parts of a circle. having terminal ends approaching one another and opening through one of the edges of the members whereby the material engaging members are tipped during their movement through said groove.

14. An elevator leg including in its construction two portions disposed at an angle to and communicating with one another, an elevating chain having an ascending and a descending stretch adapted to travel through both portions and a dividing partition extending from one of said portions into the other and lying nearest the descending stretch of said chain.

15. An elevator structure including two ortions disposed at an angle to and communicating with one another, an elevating chain having an ascending and a descending stretch arranged for travel therethrough,

and a dividing partition extending from one of said portions into the other. and spaced widely from the ascending stretch of said chain and lying close to the descending stretch thereof.

.16. In an elevator structure two portions lying at an angle to and communicating with one another, each comprising spaced members providing pairs of guideways for material-moving-me bers, and a casting connecting the two portions of the structure, the same having in register at their ends with the said guideways between the said spaced members.

1'7. An elevator leg structure comprising two communicating portions angle to one another, other, one'of them including a boot for reeiving material to be elevated, a chain extending through both portions material from said boot and a dividing partition in one of the portions widely spaced from the ascending stretch of said chain.

disposed at an one resting upon the for elevating.

guideways therein 18. An elevatorstructure including a por-- tion, two of whose opposite sides are made up of spacedmembers forming guideways between them extending longitudinally of the structure, a member secured to one end of the portion includinggrooves communieating with the said guideways, and a second portion likewise comprising spaced members forming guideways between them secured to said member with said guideways in communication wit the grooves thereof.

19."An elevator structure including two portions abut, said castings havinggrooves 1 V in their described surfaces communicating with and connecting the said runways.-

20. Ina grain elevator, in combinationga receiving boot for thegra-in and a leg including a head, said boot having abutments creating a channel annular in form at each of two sides lying opposite one another, the channels being of a substantially fixed width throughout, one of the sides of the boot having agrain receiving opening in ward from the channel thereof, said leg hav ing guideways extending up through its sides opening at their ends into said channels, and a chain disposed within each channel and the guideways including elevating devices. l

21. Inca grain elevator,'in combination,-

channels being of a substantially fixed width throughout, one of the sides of the boot having a grain receiving opening inward from the channel thereof, said leg having guideways extending up through its sides opening at their ends into said channels, a chain disposed within each channel and the guideways including elevating devices, and a dividing partition within a part of the leg spaced widely from the ascending stretch of the chain and lying nearest the descending stretch.

22. In a grain elevator, including in combination, a receiving boot for the grain and a leg therefor, said boot having abutments at each of two sides thereof creating a chan nel partially annular in form in each said side communicating with the interior of said boot, there being a receiving opening in one of the sides inward from the groove of that side, said grooves each near the top of the boot leaving the annularform thereof and extending into spaced substantially parallel runs, the distance between the runs being less than the diameter of the annular portion, there being two parallel grooves in corresponding sides of the leg communicating with the extensions of the groove at said runs.

In testimony ture in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED F. MEYER. Witnesses I I L. M. THURLoW. LOUISE H. MASCH.

whereof I aflix-my signa- 

